Showing the effects of nearly two weeks without a volleyball match, sixth-ranked Hawai'i still plowed through Louisiana Tech, 25-15, 25-19, 25-9 Friday in a battle of the Western Athletic Conference's top and bottom.

Before a crowd of 4,807 at Stan Sheriff Center, the Rainbow Wahine (13-2, 6-0 WAC) needed just 1 hour and 27 minutes to finish off the Techsters (2-12, 0-6). UH has won its last 12 going into tomorrow's 5 p.m. match against WAC runner-up New Mexico State (10-7, 5-1). The 'Bows have also won 18 consecutive sets.

The Rainbow Wahine scored four of the first five points, then looked as if they hadn't played in nearly two weeks, which they hadn't. Five service errors prevented them from extending their advantage until Tara Hittle served five in a row to make it 22-13.

Aneli Cubi-Otineru and Jamie Houston each had three kills to anchor the offense, which hit .450. The Techsters hit .000, with seven kills and as many errors.

It got worse, for both teams, early in the second set. Hawai'i called time trailing 6-7. It was hitting negative-.200, to LaTech's negative-.333.

The break helped. The 'Bows, subbing liberally, scored 14 of the next 18 points to regain control. They didn't make any hitting errors during the surge. Reserve Stephanie Ferrell buried all four sets she saw and Houston planted two balls so quickly the LaTech defense was frozen.

It got ugly again at the end, but by then the outcome was not in doubt. The third set was more of the same with Hawai'i bursting to a 10-2 lead.

Ferrell finished with eight kills in nine swings. Houston led the Rainbows with 10 kills and Cubi-Otineru added eight.

NOTES: Hawai'i's men's volleyball team will scrimmage next Saturday (Oct. 18) with two alumni matches preceding the 7 p.m. varsity exhibition. The "oldest" alumni will play at 4 p.m., followed by the "old" alumni at 5 p.m. Admission is free.